Container garden
A container garden for producing seedlings for grazing by a pet, in particular a cat. The invention consists of a container and closure therefor and a sack formed from a mesh material, such as a nylon stocking material, that a mixture of a plant growing medium, such as mix of potting soil and vermiculite, and selected seeds, such as wheat, barley, oats, rye and catnip seeds, are maintained in, and the sack is closed into a pouch for fitting into the container that receives a lid fitted thereto. The container is to receive and hold water to sprout the seeds that grow into seedlings that pass through the mesh material openings.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers and systems for sprouting seeds into eatable young seedlings, for consumption, and in particular for consumption by cats.
2. Prior Art
Containers for sprouting seeds, as in a kitchen, that provide humans and/or animals with edible sprouts are well known and in common use. Such containers often include a sprouting medium, such as a bottom liner, that the seeds rest on and keep the seeds out of water as collects on the container floor, discouraging seed rotting. Sprouting jars, and the like, having caps that including a plurality of holes to admit air into the jar during the sprouting process are also in common use. None, however, have includes, as does the invention, a nutrient source surrounding the seeds to provide for a continuing seedling grown even with continued grazing or leaf cutting from the sprouted seeds, nor has any other sprouting system provided, as does the invention, an open weave material pouch for containing and maintaining the mix of plant nutrients and seeds in a cohesive state during growing sprouting and with continuing cuttings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention is in a container garden that consists of a plastic container having a bottom, upstanding side walls, and preferably includes a cover, and with the cover to hold a closed pouch that is preferably formed from a mesh material, such as a section of nylon stocking material. The pouch is closed to contain a mixture of a growth medium, such as potting soil, and a variety of seeds that are selected to have different germination periods. With a preferred mix of seeds being wheat, barley, oats, rye and catnip to provide early and slower sprouting seeds, producing a early and continuing growth that can be harvested by an animal, such as a cat, who grazes the new growth of seedlings as have grown through the mesh material.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a renewing seedling source for a pet, particularly a cat, to periodically graze on where the new growth is passes through a mesh sack or bag arrangement that surrounds a growth medium and seed ball that is maintained in a dish type container.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination of a sprouting container that accommodates a porous sack or bag containing a mix of a growth medium, such as potting soil and vermiculite, with a mixture of sprouting seeds, where the seeds are selected to germinate at lengthening time periods, providing a renewing seedling source for a pet, particularly a cat, to graze on.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a seedling source for a pet, such as a cat, to graze upon, that is a combination of a sprouting container wherein is maintained a seedling source that is a mixture of selected seeds and a growth medium that is contained in a closed porous sack or pouch that is formed from a materials, such as a section of a nylon material, where the grow medium is a mix of approximately one part potting soil and three parts vermiculite and the preferred selected seeds are wheat, barley, oats, rye and catnip seeds that germinate at different time intervals, providing a continuing seedling source.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThese and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description in which the invention is described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:
The invention, as is hereinafter described, relates to sprouting systems and provides an arrangement to produce a continuing source of seedling for an animal to graze upon, particularly a cat. A cat 9 is shown in
The pouch 12, as shown in
As shown in the block flow schematic of
To energize the pouch containing the seed and soil mixture in the nylon tube pouch and begin the sprouting process, as shown in
After approximately one week, the faster germinating of the seeds 17 will begin to sprout, shown at block 33. Thereafter, to continue the sprouting process, with the seedlings growing through the pouch pores or openings, water is added to the container containing the pouch when the pouch exterior feels dry to the touch, as shown at block 34. In which sprouting and seedling growth process, the seedlings should be allowed to grow to approximately four to six inches before allowing a cat or other pet to graze, as shown at block 35.
Hereinabove has been set out a description of a preferred container garden of the invention. It should however, be understood that the present invention can be varied within the scope of this disclosure without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.
Claims
1. A container garden comprising, a container having a bottom and upstanding side wall and is arranged to receive a lid fitted thereover, a sack formed from a flexible cloth mesh material that is open at one end to receive a mixture of a growth medium and selected seed and is closed at said end into a pouch of a size to fit in and essentially fill said container and be easily removable therefrom for repositioning in the container and for use as a cat toy.
2. The container garden as recited in claim 1, wherein the sack is formed from a nylon stocking material and is filled to maintain a round shape when removed from the container.
3. The container garden as recited in claim 1, wherein the growth medium is a mixture of one part potting soil and three parts vermiculite.
4. The container garden as recited in claim 1, wherein the selected seed are wheat, barley, oats, rye and catnip seeds.
5. The container garden as recited in claim 1, wherein the container and lid are each formed from a plastic material.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 14, 2003
Publication Date: Apr 14, 2005
Inventor: Linda Terrell (Santa Cruz, CA)
Application Number: 10/683,681